


Coffee Break

by schwaampy



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Coffee, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Romance, ShuMako Week 2020, shumako
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-17
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:35:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22294942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/schwaampy/pseuds/schwaampy
Summary: Ren takes Makoto on a date to a mysterious coffee spot while on summer break together.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Niijima Makoto, Kurusu Akira/Niijima Makoto, Niijima Makoto/Persona 5 Protagonist, shumako - Relationship
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25





	Coffee Break

“Are you sure this is the right place?”

“Very sure.”

“I don’t know about this...”

“Don’t worry about it, Makoto. I promise it’ll be magical.” 

_ Magical? Such a strange way of wording things... _

“How sure are you? I don’t mean to doubt you, it’s just...”

With a huff of exhaustion, Ren turned to his girlfriend and held her shoulder reassuringly. 

“I’m sure. Just trust me.” 

When he let go, Ren motioned them to go inside, but was halted once again as Makoto tugged against his arm. 

“Can we wait another moment before going inside?”

“It’s not a big deal, promise!” said Ren, a bit frustrated with his girlfriend’s reluctance to follow his lead. Regardless, he decided it was best to relent and let her wait. 

Not one to give up just yet, Makoto scanned the building in front of her, a ramshackle-looking hut in the middle of nowhere, no parking lot, no windows, no foot traffic, and hardly any sound emitting from inside. To her, this had all the makings of a haunted house, and if Ren had lured her into yet another attempt to conquer her fear of the dark, she would slap him and run away as fast as possible. She wasn’t exactly in the mood for that today. 

After all, Makoto and Ren often found themselves in the company of their friends and teammates, so for Ren to suggest the two of them visit this place on one of their only free days, he must have had something important in mind. 

“Keeping this all a secret has just made me more nervous,” said Makoto, stopping in front of the door. “You remember what happened last time you tried to surprise me?” 

Ren immediately recalled their first sleepover, how Makoto had worked herself up thinking it was something more than just a nice movie night. Months had passed since then, and Ren hadn’t let her live it down. 

“Well... This will be different.”

“I trust you, it just... doesn’t look right to me,” said Makoto, stopping in front of the door. 

“What do you mean?”

“When you said we were going to visit a special place, I just wasn’t expecting...”

“...A coffee shop?” interrupted Ren, spoiling the surprise early. 

Makoto gasped, not yet realizing where he had been taking her. He kept the location a mystery for a reason, she gathered, but the reason eluded her until now. She loved coffee, at least when Ren prepared it for her, and this would be a perfect spot for them to spend some quality time together. 

“Is that what this is? It looks more like a haunted house.” 

“It just has a... special aesthetic. Can’t you smell the coffee beans from out here? I think you’ll like it once we go inside and settle in. I saw some pictures online, and it looked totally different there.” 

“Okay, okay,” said Makoto, parting her hair and taking a deep breath. His last line made her a bit nervous again, but she decided it was best to trust him. “But if this is a haunted house, I just want you to know I’m going to slap you.” 

“And I would completely deserve that slap, but I promise this place is not haunted,” said Ren, shining a warm smile in her direction. “At least to my knowledge. Maybe the building used to be haunted, but they don’t mention it on their website...”

“Hmph.” Makoto was not amused by Ren’s attempt at humor. 

A sign hung from the doorknob with a pleasant welcome message, introducing the place as Coffee Break Cafe. Nevertheless, Makoto’s nerves got the better of her, preventing her from feeling completely at ease. 

As the door swung open, Makoto noticed an immediate change in atmosphere. While the outside’s appearance made Makoto feel distraught and nervous, the inside resembled an absolute wonderland of coffee, baked goods, and relaxation. The baristas wore bright, incandescent smiles that conveyed a genuine enthusiasm for providing positive experiences to their customers. Pastel-colored flags hung over the walls, and a light mix of pop music and piano tunes played from invisible speakers on the ceiling. A framed poster on the opposite wall, across from the array of comfy couches and lounge chairs, announced, “All are welcome here,” to which Makoto felt reassured. A place like this, with such a tolerant attitude about it, must be well-respected for a reason. Ren had asked her to bring along a book, just in case they were able to find a seat, and now Makoto understood why. This would be the perfect place to sit, enjoy the quiet, and immerse oneself in an expansive story in the company of those who mattered the most. 

But what Makoto noticed first of all was the line. Stretching around the counter and past the display of ground coffee bags, customers stood impatiently, tapping their feet and waiting for a chance to warm their tongues with some of Coffee Break’s world-renowned coffee. There weren’t any screens to be found in this place, except for on people’s phones, but even then, no one seemed to have them out. 

“Should we... get in line?”

“Of course,” said Ren, as he motioned Makoto in front of him.

As they waited, Ren looked longingly at the baristas, his eyes twinkling with excitement and experience, almost wishing he were behind the counter preparing the beverages instead of waiting for one. Makoto recognized in his expression the need to build connections between people with similar backgrounds. She missed seeing this side of him, as it was lost throughout all the fighting, negotiating, and planning they had been doing since the summer started. It was a side of Ren she loved just as much as his Joker persona. 

“Do you miss Leblanc?” 

Lost in a paralyzed stupor, Ren snapped to attention as he heard his girlfriend’s voice asking him a question. 

“You know, working there, not living there,” Makoto clarified herself. 

“I miss everything about Leblanc. Sojiro, Futaba, the coffee, our hideout, even the convenience store and movie theater.”

“I’m sure it’s not the same being back home after living in Tokyo for so long. But I’m glad you’ve been able to reconnect with your family,” said Makoto, looking directly into his eyes, wanting to convey her sympathy. 

“But most of all, I miss being closer to you,” he said, before landing a light kiss on her cheek. 

Momentarily embarrassed in public, Makoto looked around to make sure no one saw their brief moment of intimacy. Thankfully, it seemed to not register among the hustle and bustle exuding from the rest of the cafe’s patrons. Reassured, Makoto was able to appreciate Ren’s cute response. 

“You’re the sweetest,” she said, while letting out a nervous laugh. “You know, I almost knew you were going to say that.” 

“Oh yeah?” asked Ren, before taking a few steps forward. So engrossed in casual conversation, they had forgotten to move with the rest of the line, and it was almost their turn to order. 

“Do you think I’ll like the coffee here?” said Makoto, nudging Ren’s shoulder, with a grin on her face. 

“I think you’ll love it. Are you having any doubts?” 

Ren noticed Makoto’s grin and decided to play off of it. 

“Well I mean, I used to not like coffee at all, then I liked it only when you made it for me, then we started experimenting...”

Makoto recalled the one time they had stayed over the Niijima apartment, when they decided to play a little game together. Ren would cook up a mystery brew of coffee, take a sip of it, and then Makoto would guess the flavor after kissing him. Whether it was French roast, German coffee cake, chocolate frenzy, salted caramel, or hazelnut, Makoto nailed the flavor test perfectly. 

“You’re just too cute,” said Ren, feeling almost head over heels. He had recalled the same memory as her, and more than anything else, he wanted to recreate that game again here. He resisted the urge to kiss her again in public. “Maybe if I ask nicely, they’ll let me behind the counter so I can make yours. But only yours.” 

“Are you teasing me again?” said Makoto, folding her arms in front of her and crossing her legs. She almost lost balance, but regained it in time for Ren not to notice. 

“Perhaps...” said Ren, mirroring Makoto’s grin from earlier. “Come on, with so many flavors and options to choose from, there must be something you’ll like.”

“But it’s one of those things where, when presented with so many options, the freedom ends up causing anxiety. I just can’t choose!”

“Well, we’re next. So you might want to make up your mind soon!” 

“Next order, please,” announced the barista from behind the counter. She had overheard their conversation and timed her announcement appropriately. 

The barista was noticeably young, probably a college student, and Makoto recognized in her relaxed expression the warm comfort of mutual understanding. In their interlocked gaze, Makoto wanted nothing more than to sit down and talk with this person, figure out her life, and see if she enjoyed being here. It seemed that she did, but did she really? Was this place all that it was cracked up to be? Was she being paid well, and did she even like coffee? Makoto had so many questions for the young barista, but she decided it was best to keep them to herself. 

“I’ll take an extra-large cup of your dark roast, no sugar, half and half please,” ordered Ren. 

“Sure thing!” she said, writing down his order on a slip of paper. 

“I’ll also be paying for her coffee, too,” said Ren, motioning to his girlfriend, who blushed as soon as he referred to her existence. She had hoped she looked invisible. 

Realizing that Ren would be buying her coffee, Makoto prepared herself with a deep breath and a last minute glance at the menu, hoping something would stand out. She couldn’t find anything she recognized, but as the barista turned around to grab a cup for Ren’s drink, Makoto noticed a message on her t-shirt. It said: “Ask me about my favorite flavor: Jamaican Me Crazy!” 

Makoto cleared her throat, shook her skirt into place, and prepared to speak. 

“I’ll... take the... actually, do you mind if I ask what’s in the ‘Jamaican Me Crazy’ coffee?” 

“Sure,” answered the barista. “It’s a light roast with vanilla, caramel, and coffee crème liqueur flavoring. It’s my favorite!”

“I see. Well, I’ll take a hot coffee with the Jamaican Me Crazy flavoring, and size...” Makoto glanced over at Ren, who immediately conveyed a look as if to say, order whatever you want. “...Size large. Let’s do that.” 

“Sounds good, it’ll be right out!” 

“I’ll wait for the coffee, you pick a spot to sit,” said Ren, pointing at the nearly endless sea of loveseats and reclinable sofas in the resting area. “Pick somewhere comfy!”

It didn’t take long for Makoto to pick the perfect, comfortable spot, although she felt a bit anxious with how many options were in front of her. As soon as Makoto sat down, her body submerged into the sofa. She leaned back into it, feeling at once the cafe’s soft, homey atmosphere loosely hugging her. Pleased with her choice, Makoto closed her eyes, listened closely to the overhead radio’s pop music, and submerged further and further down. 

When Ren turned around to look for Makoto and their spot, he scanned the couches and found nothing at first. He felt frustration and a hint of anxiety, wondering if something had happened to her. Then, he made a double take, to ensure he saw what looked to be his girlfriend, engulfed inside the sofa closest to the wall. He said nothing as he approached the sofa opposite hers and placed the coffee cups on the table. 

Both appreciating the peace and quiet brought about by the cafe’s chilled atmosphere, Ren and Makoto sat across from each other, with a low table separating them. Except for the light music playing in the background, nothing could disturb their minds from thinking their own thoughts and inhabiting their own minds. 

Finally sitting up from her half-asleep slumber, Makoto glanced at Ren, who had been sipping his coffee carefully as not to spill it from the top. After he finished, he looked positively elated, then encouraged Makoto to drink hers as well. When Makoto put the cup to her lips, the drink stung a bit, reminding her of her general distaste of coffee, but then it filtered down her throat, the heat catching her off-guard but not enough to overthrow the pungent caramel and vanilla flavor. Ren had put his coffee down, but Makoto wanted more. They took turns sipping their hot drinks until finally they were both finished, much faster than they had anticipated. 

Makoto and Ren had both decided to bring books with them, in order to read with the pleasant taste of artisan coffee still lingering in their mouths. Ren brought along  _ Never Let Me Go _ , a book he had promised to finish months prior but didn’t find (or make) the time to do so. He had his bookmark set about two thirds of the way through the book, whereas Makoto wanted to start a new book entirely. She took out  _ The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle,  _ a classic by Haruki Murakami and one she heard plenty about in college from her friends. 

“You know what?” asked Ren, breaking the silence with a sly grin. 

“What?” answered Makoto, mostly oblivious to Ren’s intentions.

“You’re... Jamaican me crazy.” 

“Oh my god.”

“What?!” pleaded Ren, a bit defensive in tone. 

Makoto smiled at her boyfriend’s defensive response, as she loved the few opportunities she got to fluster him. It didn’t happen very often, but she treasured the moments when she did. It was usually the other way around. 

“You're always looking for ways to compliment me, aren’t you?” said Makoto, with a nonchalant flip of her hair. 

“You found me out!” said Ren, holding his hands in the air.

“Well, now it’s my turn. Are you ready?”

“Oh boy...”

“What?!” 

“You’re just being cute, carry on.” 

Makoto thought for a few seconds, unable to think of a response as simultaneously adorable and funny as Ren’s first compliment. She didn’t have anything prepared. It pained her that she wasn’t as creative as he was, as she wanted to express her feelings for him in a way he would easily understand. She wracked her mind until finally an idea came to her. 

“You’re Jamaican me crazy, too.” 

Ren sighed and laughed, attracting the attention of some of the customers sitting in the chairs behind them. 

“You can’t use the same punchline I just used!”

“Why not?” said Makoto, folding her arms in a huff. “It’s true!”

“How am I Jamaican you crazy? Answer me that.” 

“Well...” pondered Makoto. She hated being put on the spot like this, especially in public, but she nevertheless felt the urge to justify her answer. “You’re handsome, thoughtful, kind... And you always know how to make me laugh.” 

“Yeah? Well, you’re all of those things, plus you’re smart, responsible, funny, mature, a great leader...” 

Makoto sat back on the sofa, absorbing Ren’s compliments as he continued listing them off. She felt completely and totally at ease with herself and the environment around her, even as others started to listen to their, admittedly, loud and boisterous conversation. No one seemed to be judging; in fact, the onlookers had smiles on their faces, as if they were watching true love manifest in front of them. 

Yes, Makoto reasoned to herself, taking another drink. Ren was right. This place is magical.


End file.
